Outdoor time, gut bacteria, and stress in young children's weight
Official title: Childhood Obesity: the role of the gut Microbiome, outdoor Time, and Stress(COMETS)
Funded at Washington State University · NIH-11261597 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether more outdoor time, healthier gut bacteria, and lower stress can help prevent or reduce obesity in young children, especially those from low-income families.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pullman, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $583,253 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168373-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11261597 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are preschool-aged children (around 3–5 years old) and families, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds or who attend participating childcare or preschool programs.
✕Less likely to help
Children with obesity caused by rare genetic disorders, older adolescents, or adults are unlikely to get direct benefit from this early-childhood-focused work.
What this research studies
If your child joins, researchers will follow preschool-aged children over time and compare kids who spend more time in outdoor preschools with those in more typical settings. They will collect stool samples to study gut bacteria, take simple body measurements like height and weight, and measure stress markers such as cortisol. The team will also record how much time children spend outside and information about family and neighborhood conditions. The goal is to see if outdoor time helps build resilience to social and economic risk factors for childhood obesity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could support low-cost, practical approaches—like more outdoor preschool time—that reduce childhood obesity and improve gut and stress-related health in young children.
How similar studies have gone: Direct trials of outdoor preschools for obesity prevention are rare, but prior studies link nature exposure to increased gut microbial diversity and lower stress, giving preliminary support for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington State University
Pullman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fyfe-Johnson, Amber — Washington State University
- Study coordinator: Fyfe-Johnson, Amber
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.